Hertfordshire-based dressage and event rider Daisy Coakley (20) claimed her first national dressage title on her first visit to the Espayo National Dressage Championships last year when she won the preliminary finals.
At this year’s Eastern Regionals at The College EC, Keysoe, Daisy rode the same horse, Judy Firmston-Williams’ six-year-old KWPN mare Cleopatra II (pictured), to victory in both the Dodson & Horrell Novice Open and Stretch & Flex Elementary Restricted qualifiers with two of the highest scores of the show.
Daisy first rode ‘Daya’ when Judy’s rider and Daisy’s trainer Alison Berman was expecting at the beginning of last year. Since then, they have won another national title, the Winter Elementary Restricted Music Freestyle Championships.
Daisy, who also competes her own intermediate eventer and is a member of the GB young rider event program, seems surprised by her dressage success: “Daya and I just clicked and now I also ride another couple of young dressage horses.
“Daya has a brilliant temperament and paces; she earns nines for her walk and has won five out of six regionals with more than 70%. She has a sane brain, tries hard and loves to learn, which is why she is so consistent. She can get grumpy when she’s frustrated learning something new, but you put her to bed and she thinks about it. Then you take her out the next day and she can do it. We’re hoping to take her to medium level next as her training is going so well.”
Michael Eilberg rode Lawrence and Alison Reddy’s 10-year-old Fuerst Heinrich offspring, Fuerst Sinclair to victory in both the Dressage Deluxe Medium Open and Suregrow Fertiliser Advanced Medium Open qualifiers.
The gelding, who stands nearly 18hh, first came to the yard aged seven as an entire and was gelded within the first year.
Michael says: “He is quite a big horse to wagon around, but he is surprisingly maneuverable. My girlfriend Maya [Goldberg, who works at the Eilberg’s yard] is only about 5’5” and used to compete him at elementary level for me. He is capable of scoring really good marks and we are close to PSG level.”
Sophie Wells and her own 11-year-old Valerius enjoyed a confidence boosting win in the Saracen Horse Feeds Intermediate I in the run up to the ecco FEI Para-Equestrian European Dressage Championships in Herning, Denmark (21-25 August).
She will be defending the European Grade IV titles she won at Moorsele in 2011 with the KWPN gelding by Flemmingh, known as Reece, whom she has trained herself from a youngster.
Picture © www.kevinsparrow.co.uk
Visualise Sportswear Preliminary
Mandy Denley and Zhowbink (owner: Rider) 70.91%
Rebecca Wallis and Romanno Fillielingh (owner: Rider) 70.76%
Charlotte Hussey and Singing Skyjacker (owner: Claire Knowles) 69.24%
Dodson & Horrell Novice Restricted
Fern Roach and Rockzanne (owner: Rider) 68.62%
Naomi Smith and Fabio Scalini (owner: Rider ) 68.05%
Dodson & Horrell Novice Open
Daisy Coakley and Cleopatra II (owner: Judy Firmston-Williams) 74.48%
Donna Jones and Truffle Royale (owner: Lorraine Sattin) 70.23%
Paul Friday and Flamingo (owner: Christine Trendell) 69.54%
Stretch & Flex Elementary Restricted
Daisy Coakley and Cleopatra II (owner: Judy Firmston-Williams) 76.46%
Regula Stricker and Pimmento (owner: Rider), 71.25%
Stretch & Flex Elementary Open
Garry Williams and Furst Edition II (owner: Tony Cockshutt) 70.52%
Edward Johnson and Arrow (owner: Rider) 70.31%
Hannah Gilbert and Rossgold Rubina (owner: Rider) 70%
Dressage Deluxe Medium Restricted
Louise Jenkinson-Dix and Cadifor Harry (owner: Rider) 69.10%
Jenine Jones and Keystone Ricardo (owner: Rider) 68.92%
Dressage Deluxe Medium Open
Michael Eilberg and Fuerst Sinclair (owner: Alison Reddy) 72.16%
Alice Oppenheimer and Tantoni Sir Socratates (owner: Georgina Pole-Carew) 72.07%
Paul Friday and Roman Noir Himself (owner: Christine Trendell & Rider) 71.26%
Nicky Patrick and Supersonic Hit (owner: Rider) 70.63%
Suregrow Fertiliser Advanced Medium Restricted
Julie Coope and Don Dimitri (owner: Rider) 67.81%
Nicky Jennings and Bodelicious (owner: Rider) 66.75%
Suregrow Fertiliser Advanced Medium Open
Michael Eilberg and Fuerst Sinclair (owner: Alison Reddy) 70%
Paul Hayler and Diamond Jubilee (owner: Rider) 68.86%
Daniel Greenwood and Angelo VI (owner: Lisa Price) 68.77%
Tayley Reeve-Smith and Special (owner: Rider) 68.68
Fairfax Saddles Prix St Georges
Michel Assouline and Streisand (owner: Margaret Wyatt, Mette Assouline & Rider) 68.86%
Saracen Horse Feeds Intermediate I
Sophie Wells and Valerius (owner: Rider) 70.83%